She was heading to the cabin to drink some water when a large shadow stepped into her path.

“What a sight.”

The rough words made Canasia instinctively shrink back. It was Gunther Burke. The killing intent radiating from his overwhelming frame crashed over her. His eyes were full of hostility, the grudge from the day of introductions in the meeting room clearly unresolved.

Gunther Burke raked her up and down with a contemptuous gaze. Then he seized her chin hard and lifted it as he whispered:

“Quite the talent, turning the captain into a fool.”

“……”

“Did you spread your legs for the captain with that pretty face of yours?”

Gunther Burke sneered with a crooked smile. It was the most vile thing she had ever heard in her life.

“Since you’re giving it away, why not spread them for me too?”

Crack! The sharp sound rang out and the man’s head snapped to one side. Canasia gripped her stinging palm. Gunther Burke spat out a mouthful of blood and his eyes blazed red.

“F*ck, you really─”

“Aaah!”

He wrenched her wrist toward him with brutal force. The grip was crushing enough to shatter bone, and Canasia screamed. The sailors on deck stared at the two of them with startled faces, but Gunther Burke paid no attention and dragged her violently along.

“Let go, you bastard! How dare you lay a hand on me!”

“Shut your mouth before I wring that scrawny neck of yours.”

“……!”

Canasia’s face went pale at the low, sinister voice. She had never met a man this vile. What made it worse was that his words didn’t sound like a mere threat. Terror seized her and she struggled.

“Let go, I said let go! If you don’t release this hand─!”

“Say that again from the bottom of the sea.”

Gunther Burke hoisted her up and slung her over his shoulder. Her vision flipped upside down. He moved toward the stern without hesitation. The blue sea beyond the deck rushed toward her eyes. The hand gripping her waist went slack, and Canasia squeezed her eyes shut.

“Gunther, don’t!”

Bjorn’s shout made Gunther Burke falter just as he was about to throw her.

“You f*cking bastard!”

“Ugh!”

Struck hard in the back, Gunther Burke lost his balance and lurched. Canasia, slung over his shoulder, pitched toward the sea.

“Eeek!”

“Princess!”

Aslan, who kicked Gunther Burke in the back, barely caught Canasia as she fell over the railing. Canasia clutched his clothes with a face drained white and shook.

“Ungh……”

Gunther, crumpled on the ground, barely managed to push himself up. Aslan drove his foot hard into his stomach again.

“Hk!”

With a single grunt, Gunther Burke doubled over and curled in on himself. Aslan brought the hilt of his sword down onto his back. Gunther Burke folded and collapsed to the deck. Still not satisfied, Aslan kicked him again and again without mercy.

“Captain, stop! You’ll kill him!”

Timo ran over to hold Aslan back, but Aslan was beyond reason and didn’t stop.

“Get out of the way!”

“Bjorn! Sean! Someone stop the captain!”

“That’s enough, Captain!”

Sean and Bjorn arrived and barely managed to pull Aslan and Gunther apart. Gunther lay sprawled on the deck, covered in blood. Aslan stepped on the barely conscious Gunther Burke with his boot and pressed his sword to his throat.

“I warned you I wouldn’t let it go if you mistreated the princess.”

“……”

“This is the last time. Defy my orders one more time and I’ll cut your head off and feed it to the fish. Remember that.”

“……”

“Bjorn, drag this bastard to the cabin and lock him in. Do not feed him for three days.”

“Yes.”

Sean and Bjorn hauled the half-unconscious Gunther Burke away. Aslan watched until the footsteps faded, then approached Canasia, who sat collapsed on the deck.

“Princess.”

“……”

Canasia barely lifted her head at the careful call. She tried to stand, but the tension drained out of her all at once and her legs gave way. The man helped her up with a worried expression.

“Can you stand?”

“Oh……”

Canasia managed to get to her feet and moved her dry lips. The wrist Gunther Burke grabbed throbbed. Aslan frowned at the sight of the deep bruise already forming.

“Let me see. Are you badly hurt?”

“……I’m fine.”

“Let’s get that treated.”

“It’s all right, leave it.”

Canasia waved him off and walked away unsteadily. Her vision went dark and came back in turns.

Get yourself together, Cana. You can’t fall apart over this.

Canasia forced her trembling legs to carry her back to the cabin. The moment the door closed, tears burst out of her.

She felt so wretched and miserable she couldn’t stand it.

* * *

That night, Canasia wandered endlessly through a maze she didn’t recognize. A darkness thick like a swamp dragged at her ankles. She ran and ran, searching for a way out.

‘Filthy little rat. Just you wait until I catch you.’

A man whose face she couldn’t see was chasing her. She fled with everything she had, like a wild animal hunted by a predator, but the distance closed fast.

‘Nowhere to run.’

She didn’t get far before a hand seized her wrist. Stop! Let go! She screamed and wrenched at the arm holding her, but no sound came out. The hand that snatched her wrist was now around her throat.

‘Die.’

A black hand tightened around her windpipe. The lips of the man choking her twisted into something grotesque.

No, please don’t. I’m sorry.

She begged for her life, but no voice came. She thrashed to break free, but it was useless. Tears poured out of her, seized by the terror that he would truly kill her.

No. I don’t want to die. Please let me go.

“……cess.”

“……don’t……no……”

A faint m*an slipped past her lips. Please, stop this. Canasia shook her head, sobbing. At that moment, someone pulled her into a fierce embrace.

“Princess.”

“……let go, no……!”

“Wake up, Princess.”

“No, stop─ mmph!”

Her lips were suddenly covered. Canasia bit down hard on the soft thing that pressed into her mouth. A short grunt sounded, or so she thought.

A familiar touch patted her back gently. A sensation that was unfamiliar but not unpleasant slowly drew her consciousness up from the depths. Canasia clung to the man holding her like a lifeline.

“Hng……”

The sensation of something moving through her mouth grew gradually clearer. The movement twining around her tongue slowly brought her back to herself. Canasia forced her heavy eyelids open with effort. The line between dream and reality was still blurred, and she curled inward, and the man whispered quietly:

“It’s me. Calm down.”

Aslan’s face came into view through her hazy sight. Whether it was relief, her vision went soft and cloudy. Aslan carefully brushed her tangled hair aside.

“You’re all right.”

“……”

“You’re all right, nothing happened. It was just a dream.”

“Hng……”

Tears burst out at the warm comfort. She thought dying would be better than living like this, but when death actually came for her, she was this weak. No matter how hard she tried to tell herself it was nothing, she couldn’t shake that day.

“Don’t cry, Princess.”

Aslan wiped her wet eyes and whispered. His gentle voice made Canasia cry again. Watching her weep herself to exhaustion, the man sighed and pressed his lips to her neck. He bit lightly at the sweat-damp skin there, and Canasia’s body shivered faintly.

“Shh, you’re all right. Stay still.”

Aslan soothed her softly and loosened the laces of her dress. The wet chemise beneath showed through the loosened fabric. Thick fingers slid down the line of her thin back.

“……Hng.”

A tearful m*an brushed against Aslan’s ear. He cupped her br*ast lightly. The soft flesh filled his palm. When his thumb grazed her n*pple, Canasia’s body went rigid, startled by the sudden contact. Aslan paid no mind and kneaded the sensitized flesh as he moved his hand lower. Just before his hand reached the thin fabric, Canasia grabbed his arm.

“D-don’t.”

“Stay still.”

Aslan stilled her with a low voice and traced insistently over the damp cloth.

“Hng!”

A thin m*an escaped and Canasia’s upper body arched sharply. The sensation flooding her whole body swept her tangled thoughts away in an instant.

“Stop…… please.”

Canasia looked at Aslan through wet eyes. He seemed to have no intention of going further, and withdrew his hand without protest. She caught her breath and steadied herself, pulling her disheveled clothes back into order. The breath slipping from her lips was still warm, but her color looked much better.

“Feeling calmer?”

“……Yes.”

“I told you to come to me when things get hard.”

“I just…… had a bad dream.”

Canasia pushed Aslan away, pretending nothing was wrong. Seeming to understand the pride of a princess who didn’t want to appear weak, Aslan pulled her thin shoulders close and whispered:

“I’ll stay. Go back to sleep.”

“I’m fine. You said you were busy, go.”

“Stop being stubborn and listen to me.”

“……”

It was strange. He was someone she should have hated with everything she had, yet he was the only one she could lean on. She knew it was absurd, but she didn’t want to push him away. Canasia let herself be held in those arms and drifted off to sleep.